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FORT MEIGS MONUMENT. 
Comp It m e n ts of 

THE MAUfvlEE VAU.EY PIONEEff 

AND Historical a-^^ ^ "•■■■^^•' 



DEDICATION 



OF 



FORT MEIGS MONUMENT 



SEPTEMBER 1, 1908. 



Description of the Monument — What It Commemorates — 

Historic Spots to be Seen from the Shaft Treaty of 

1817 The Elm Dudley's Disaster- Fort 

Miami British Batteries - Burial 

Grounds, Etc., Etc.. 

TOGETHER WITH 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TWO SIEGES OF 
FORT MEIGS IN 1813. 



Compiled and Prepared by C. W. Evers, 
Bowling Green, Ohio. 



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FORT MEIGS AND ITS ENVIRONS. 

ICxiiIiiiiatiou.s: — a, grand battery, commantled by Captain Daniel Gush- 
ing; b, mo'tai' battery; e, i, o, minor batteries; g, battery commanded at the 
second siege by Colonel Gaines: c. magazines. The tolack squares on the 
lines of the fort represent the position of the block houses. The dotted 
lines show the traverses, or walls of earth thrown up. The longest, the 
grand traverse, had a base of twen'ty feet, was twelve in height, and about 
nine hundred in length. The traverses running lengthwise of the- fort, were 
raised as a protection against the batteries on the opposite side of 
tlie river, and those run^ning cross'wise were to defend tliem from 
tlie British batteries on this side. The British batteries on tlie north side 
of the river were named as follows: a, Queen's; b. Sailors': d. King's: and 
c. Mortar. The fort stood upon high ground, on the margin of the bank, 
elevated about sixty feet above the Maumee. Tlie surface is nearly level, 
and is covered by a green swai'd. The outline of the fort is now well defined, 
and tlie grand traverse yet rises six or eight feet from the surrounding 
ground. 

XOTE: — The Toledo Blade of June 3, 1908, has the Larwill profile of the 
tort whioli differs somewhat in the fact that more traverse, earthworks, 
are sliown next to the present public road. The historical reports by Wood 
and others show that these latter works were made during the siege to meet 
military emergencies; also that between the two sieges; the fort was re- 
duced in dimensions, being too large for proper defense by so limited a 
number of troops. Howe's Ohio, has a map very similar, in fact a copy 
of the Larwill profile, which we reproduce. It is not on so large a scale 
nor does it show so much of the surrounding landscape as that given in 
the Blade. 



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INTRODUCTORY. 



"Yes Stranger, I would like to get a bit of information 
nboiit tliis monument; why it was placed here; what events it 
commemorates and such other details of the historic sur- 
roundings as are obtainable. I have been only a casual read- 
er of our history, and am soi-ry to say my memory is a little 
rusty, but I am very much interested to learn more right 
now. ' ' 

The above was the request and expression of a man, 
who, with his wife, had alighted on a recent day from an 
electric car and was surveying the Fort Meigs monument as 
the workmen were yet giving the shaft its finishing touches. 
His inquiry and comments were those of the thousands of 
others who will visit this spot as time passes. It is to satis- 
factorily answer such natural and proper inquiries that the 
following pages have been written, or compiled from trust- 
worthy sources. 

POINTS OF INTEREST. 

MAUMEE TREATY IN 1817. 

Standing at the pedestal of the monument and facing 
the river we look across to the town of Maumee where the 
memorable treaty of 1817 was made by which the United 
States acquired the title to the land of Northwestern Ohio, 
except that part consisting of the United States Reserve, 
which had been previously acquired by Wayne 's treaty, and 
from which eighteen counties were afterwards formed. 

Of all the great treaties made with the Indians from 
1795 down to 1817 this was by far the most important to 
Northwestern Ohio. Duncan McArthur and Lewis Cass, as 
the authorized agents of the United States, met seven In- 
dian tribes, comprising about 7,000 there assembled. 

Some stout opposition to selling it was made. One 
Indian named Mesh-ke-mau, who prided himself on being a 



Bi'itisli siil)j(>('t, was full of wrath and angoi-. TTo raved and 
liiaii(lisli('(l his toiiialiawk over Gen. Cass, who ordered him 
taken oiil. whicli was done by several othei' Indians. 

.\iu()iii>' the Indian warriors wlio wei'e present was 
Ottnso, said to he Ji son of Pontiae, a most ehxiueiit chief, 
vei-y intelligent, and (|nite the eqnal of Tecnmseh in mental 
(|iialilies, and at the time of his death the last of his family, 
and the last war chief of liis nation remainiiig on the 
Maiimee river. 

There was also present at this conneil an old Indian 
woman, said to ])e a grandniece or widow of tlie renowned 
Pontiae. She was held in great veneration by the Indians. 
She was then very old, and bent with age, her hair perfectly 
white, and no chief would sign the treaty nntil she had first 
consented, and made her mark by tonching her fingers to 
the ])en. When the treaty was agreed npon, the head chiefs 
and warriors sat round the inner circle, she having a place 
among them. The remaining Indians with the women and 
(aiiildren formed a crowd outside. The chiefs sat on seats 
])uilt under the roof of the council house, which was open on 
all sides. I'lie wlioU^ assemhl}' ke[)t silent. The chiefs 
bowed tlieii- heads and cast their eyes to the ground, and 
waited patiently for the old woman until she arose. After 
the treaty had been read to all in her ju'csence, she went 
r<)i-ward and louclicd the pen to the treaty, following which 
they all signed it. 

IXDIAX K\M AXl) THE BIG RIFLE. 

Also in front aci'oss the rix'cr is the site where stood the 
great elm that concealed the Indian shai'itsliootei' who so 
ann()yc(| the l^\)i-t Meigs gari'ison. 

hilling llie siege of Koi't Meigs the Indians were \'ery 
bold and tronhlesonie in a|»|ti'oacliing iindei' cover of every 
tviH' sluiii|i or oilier slicllcr, as near as they dai'ed, and from 
which they kept up a I'lisilade of bullets into the fort, by 
which means they caused iniicli annoyance to the Americans, 



and some fatal casualties. Some, bolder than others, climb- 
ed into the tree tops at a distance and fired into the fort at 
random. 

It was told at the time tliat one particularly trouble- 
some "buck" fired from a lofty elm on the north bank of the 
Mamnee and directly o])]iosite the fort. This Indian, when 
the soldiers fired at, or noticed him, would act very defiant 
and perpetrate all sorts of i:)antomime insults. 

Finally some officer remembered that a tremendous 
rifle, so large and heavy that no soldier could carry it on the 
march was lying somewhere about Gen. Harrison's liead- 
o,uarters. No one seemed to know just how or why it was 
there, for it was regarded as an utterly impractical and use- 
less piece. But in desperation it was dragged out, a bullet 
mold improvised and a marksman bold enough to aim it and 
fire at the Indian in the big ehn. At the second or third shot 
the Indian tumbled out and was seen there no more. It is 
not told how the man fared who held the gun. He doubtless 
had at least a lame shoulder. 

Harrison afterwards gave the gun to one of his scouts, 
and later one of the Minors had it. In 1865 Jared Cothrell, 
who kept the Mad Anthony saloon at Fort Wayne, had it 
standing back of his bar. The muzzle reached two-thirds to 
the ceiling, and its bore would nearly admit a broom handle. 
Its shoulder breech was cushioned with soft leather and 
green baize cloth. It was a prodigious gun, and not many 
men would care to fire it under a full charge of powder and 
ball. It is now in the relic room of some Indiana historical 
society, perhaps at Indianapolis. 

The old historic elm at Maumee blew down in a storm 
many years ago, but its site is still pointed out. Also other 
elms are there and doubtless served as lookout perches for 
Indian marksmen. All agencies of that oft repeated episod<» 
in the war are gone except General Harrison's big gun. 
THE BRITISH BATTERIES. 

liniiieditelv facing us, across the river on the Iiiiili 



8 

haiik is the site wliere tlie Britisli batteries wei'e i)laeed aud 
which Colonel Dudley failed to destroy. 

THE OLD COURT HOUSE. 
P^iirther to the right across the river is tlie old court 
house wliere (Miiel' .Iiistice Waite, in his youthful daj^s, made 
his maiden speech, aud near by was his home. Here, too, is 
the site where the fiercest conflict was waged in the Dudley 
disaster. 

FORT MIAMI. 

Down the river two miles at tlie village of jMiami may 
be seen Ihe embankments of the old Fort Miami, held by 
Gen. Proctor during the siege of Fort Meigs in 1813. This, 
too, was the tirst jjoint on which a flag was erected in this 
valley — in fact in Ohio — by the French in 1G79-80, which 
was continued for some time as a trading post, and which 
was afterward occupied by the British with INlajor Camp- 
bell in command, during Wayne's victory in 1704. 

THE OLD WELL. 

Now glance your eye to the right in the east end of the 
fort aud but a few ste|)S from where you stand is the prin- 
cipal well (lug during the seige, and from wliicli the camp 
was suitplied with w^ater, thus avoiding the necessity of ex- 
posing their lives in carrying water from the river. The 
well was about 60 feet deep. It is marked by a post dis- 
liiictly visible. That post extends to the bottom of the well, 
and lliis is its histoi'y: On the night i)revions to the great 
cch'hiation of 1840, some of the young men of Perrsyburg 
ol' Ihe Democratic ])ersuasion in a spirit of mischief went to 
the fort, secured the flag pole, about 00 feet long, which was 
to l)e raised the rollowing morning, and plunged it into the 
Well, wlici'c it has rcnialncd I'or more than ()8 years. 

THE KENTUCKY BURIAL GROUND. 
East of us on the hill, to the right of the road, may be 
seen the home of Michael Hayes, during his life-time — a 
bri(;k building erected by Mai'shall Key of Kentucky more 



than fifty years ago. Between tlie east end oi' tlie fort and 
the Hayes brick house, np the sloping- hill, on a little grassy 
platean, is the Kentucky burial gi'oiuid. Tliere are the 
sunken graves of forty or fil'ty of Dudley's slaughtered 
soldiers. Their bodies were biouglit across the river by 
Harrison's men after T'roctor liad left. Michael Hayes de- 
serves great credit foi- the care and prolcctioii he gave this 
spot as long as he lived. 

THE BATTERY BEYOND THE RAVINE. 

To the east of the Hayes house, across the electric car 
track, and next to the Perryslmrg cemetery, yet ])lainly vis- 
ible, is the site of the British battery captured by (\)l()uel 
Miller under Gen. Harrison's direction. In this capluic 
the Petersburg, Virginia, battalion behaved most gallantly. 

THE PITTSBURG BLUES. 
Right back of us and aliout 70 steps beyond the road is 
the burial plat of the Pittsburg I)lues, emV)racing sonic 
forty or fifty graves. 

THE GARRISON DEAD. 

To our left at the west end of the fort is the cemetery 
of those \d\o were killed and died in Fort ]\Ieigs during the 
siege, and known as the Garrison Cemetery. 

LIEUTS. M'CULLOUGH AND WALKER. 

Immediately to our left, within the fort, are the graves 
of Lieutenants McCullough and Walker. The former was 
killed in the fort while in conversation with Gen. Harrison 
and the latter lost his life in a skirmish with the Indians. 

THE SPAFFORD GRANT. 

As you look to the west, or up-river side, the first 
ground the eye rests upon beyond the fort ruins and front- 
ing the river, is what is known as the S])afford Grant of 
160 acres. It was the first deeded land in Wood county. 
The title was made to Major Amos Spatford, then D. S. 
collector of customs for the ]\riami district, by a special act 



10 

of Cong-ross in tlie year 1817. Major Spafford was also 
postmaster when tlie war of 1812 broke up the settlement, 
lie was the tirst to liold civil office in the whole Maiimee 
\allcy as well as the lirst ix'i-iiiaiient settler and land-owner 
in Wood county, lie and his wife were buried on the corner 
of the tract at the angle of the two roads just beyond the 
fort. There is no mark at their graves, but steps have been 
taken looking to a fitting tablet there. 

BUTTONWOOD ISLAND. 

Still al)ove tiiis, over a mile, in the river is Buttonwood 
island, where the Indians were assembled in 18oo, where 
ail were vaccinated and made read}'^ for deportment to the 
far west by the government. 

THE GALLOWS. 
Down in the valley between the Bowling Green Rail- 
way and the foot hill is where the execution took i)lace of 
George Porter (the first execution in Wood C-ounty) for the 
murder of Isaac Richardson, at Rush-de-l)oo in 1817. (See 
Knapp's History, p. 300.) 

TURKEY FOOT ROCK. 

Away lo our left a])out two miles, across and up the 
river, may l)e seen Pres(iue Isle hill, where is Turkey Foot 
Rock, now the onl>' monument in commemoration of 
Wayne's battle in 171)4. 

POUT l)KiM)SiT. 
Still I'lirther up the i"iver, on the north side, one mile 
a])Ove W'aterville, is liiishde boo, the I'ocky point on the 
ri\'er where Wayne camjiiMl llie uiglil before his baltle. He 
called this Camp Deposit. Hard by is a concrete rail- 
road bridge, said to be the longest but one in the country. 

FACTS TO 1>.E l^EMEMBERED. 

The const ruction of l'\)i't Meigs began Febi-uai\\ L*, ISl.'!. 
The liist siege of I'^oi't Meigs began .\pril Ll7, IS)."!, and 
lasted 14 (hiys. 



11 

Tlio second sicoo lK\i;;ni .Inly 2(1, ISl,'!, and lasted five 
days. Most of the army supjtlies were l)i-oii<^iit to the fort 
on i)aek liorses, l)eeaiise of the had i-oads. 

Tlie ordnanee and military stores weic removed from 
Fort Meii>s and the ])ost a1)aiid()ned l)y the iiovernment in 
1815. 

THE HYDRAULIC DITCMT. 

The ditch noticed down tlie slope toward the river was 
no part of the defensive works of tlie fort. It was used 
many years ago to bring' water from a dam four miles or 
so 11]) the river, which fni'nished mill i)ower in Perrysburg, 
and was later abandoned. 

Many visitors fail to comprehend the full dimensions 
of the original fort proper. It embraced as first constructed 
about ten acres. Between the two sieges, its dimensions 
were cut down to suit a smaller garrison. The outlines, in 
places, are nearly obliterated, but the commission plan to 
indicate the outlines, l)astions, block houses, etc., by plain 
markers. The profile maps are quite a lielp to the stranger. 

The l)lock-houses and other buildings were often made 
use of by the new settlers coming into the country, nntil 
they could find homes and get permanently located. In this 
way the fort at times was found a great convenience. But 
gradually the buildings fell into decay, or, through careless- 
ness took fire and were burned and destroyed. 

The picture of the fort, rear view, shows what appears 
to be a border of some sort strung along the fort palisades 
on the ground. At first view it appears to be barrels lying- 
end to end; l)ut it is told that hollow sycamore logs were 
sawed in sections, filled with rocks, headed iii» and so ])laced 
that by cutting a rope by which each was attached inside 
the fort, that the logs would start rolling down the steep 
slope or bank at high s])eed, knocking down everything in 
their course. This was a precaution against a massed at- 
tack on the rear of the fortification. 

The fort was cut down to smaller dinunsions between 
the two sieges to make it suitable for defense by a less num- 
ber of troops. 



12 

THE MONUMENT AND ITS HISTORY. 



The iiionuiiH'iit. a modest, well iJi-oportioncd, plain, 
granite slial't Si* feet liigli, is symbolie of the patriotic spirit 
of the peoph' of today and their deep and lasting love and 
gratitude I'oi' the liai'dy nieii oi' 1812-1."!. 

The ground upon which it stands, iiielnding the Tort 
pi-oper, excepting a point at the east end, cut olT li>- a imhlic 
road — also a strip on the south side, taken many years ago 
as a ])nl)lie highway, hut including the burial ]ilace of the 
I^ittshurg Blues (some forty or more in number), about 
70 ste))s south of the road — was purcliased by the State of 
Ohio, thi'ough an act of the General Assembly, in March, 
1906. ^riie act authorized the expenditure of $25,000 for 
the i)urchase of the grounds and erection of i iuonument; 
also provided for the ap])ointment of a commisison by the 
(lo\'ernor. J. L. Pray of Toledo, C. W. Shoemaker of 
W'aterville, and J. B. Wilson of Bowling Green, were ap- 
l)oiuted July 23, lOOG, by Governor Harris. Mr. Wilson was 
elected chairman and W. Corlett, of Waterville, appointed 
Seci'ctai'y of the P)oard. 

The ground, on Kiver Tracts 65 and 66, comprising 36 
aci-es, was purchased of the Hayes heirs June 12, 1907, for 
the sum of $10,800. The conti'act for the monument was 
let in September, 1907, the i)i-ice being $14,000. This is one 
instance, at least, where a commission did not exceed the 
appro|)i-iati()n. 

I^'ebrnary 25, 1908, a law was enacted ])r()viding I'oi- the 
care and piotection of the moiunnent and gi'ounds. \)y this 
law a iiei'Mianent commission of li\'e niemhei's was pro\'ided. 
The (loscrnoi' names the commisison, the tci'm of ollice be- 
ing (i\'e years. The law also cari'ies with it an appi'opria- 
tion of $5,000, to can'y into effect such iniproxcnients as are 
iieeessai'y in the way ol' fences, shade t I'ces, landscape woi'k'. 



13 

etc.; also a cottage for the care U\kcv of tlic property, if tlie 
commission deem it advisable. 

Governor Harris appointed as merabei's of this per- 
inaneiit comiuissioii for the first year tlic rollowiiii;' iiaiiicd 
gentlemen: D. K. Hollenbeck, Perrysbnrg; A. L. Pray, To- 
ledo; William Corlett and C. W. Shoemaker, Waterville; 
J. B. Wilson, Bowling Green. 

It may be proper here, in this connection, as a matter 
of information, to say that aside from tlie ])nrcliase of 
gronnd made here by the state, that the Manmee Valley 
Pioneer and Historical Association owns abont eight and 
one-half acres adjoining the state's xmrchase, on the east 
and including the Kentucky burial ground; also the little 
point of the fort fortification that extends east of the road 
leading to the bridge. 

Kentucky has had a bill before its legislature for an 
appropriation for a memorial of some kind for the graves 
of her dead whose ashes repose there. Some of her leading 
men took a lively interest in the matter, when a committee 
of the Association called on them at Frankfort two years 
ago, and gave assurance that Kentucky would see that the 
graves of her dead should be properly marked. But some 
of the leaders suggestively inquired why Ohio, too, had not 
done something for her dead at Fort Meigs. That ([uestion 
has since been answered by Ohio, in the fine shaft she has 
raised on the fort grounds. And now it is confidently lio])ed 
that not only Kentucky, but Pennsylvania, and possibly 
Virginia — all of whom have burials there — will see that 
fitting memorial tal)lets will nuirk the resting places of their 
soldier dead. 

It is fitting, too, that a woi'd of connnendation be 
spoken for the unselfish and devoted work of the ^launiee 
Valley Pioneer and Historical Association to reclaim and 
preserve these historic grounds and care for the gi-aves of 
those wlio perished in defense of their country. - 

Some of its members have for vears lent their influ- 



14 

t'lKM' and |)uf foi'lli tlicii' l)('s1 ('ITorts in tliis work, at pe- 
cuniary loss and ol'tcn under llic luosi disc()urai»'ini>' circiun- 
stanccs. And now. thai tiu'ir indomilable efforts are likely 
1o !)(' crowned with success, no one has more reason to re- 
joice than lh(»se failhl'nl and indefatigaliU^^ ohl workers, wlio 
for so many years have devoted themselves to this labor of 
"|)ati"iotism and love. 

Without these efforts Fort Afeigs would never have had 
a inonnnient. and the hundreds of graves thereabouts would 
have reniainecl unmarked in the ])asture fields as they have 
l)een in the scores of years ])ast. All honor to the Pioneer 
Association and their co-workers, as well as to those of the 
Ohio Assembly, through wliose patriotic action tliis tardy 
act of justice to our heroic dead was made possible. 

Especial appreciation is accorded Governor A. L. Har- 
ris, himself an ex-soldier, for his kindly interest, helpful 
advice and judicious suggestions in aiding the commission 
to economically and successfully bring about the purchase 
and make the construction of the monument possible. 

'I'lie ]\raumee Valley Pioneer Association was organ- 
ized in 18r)4. Its first President was General John E. Plunt. 
It has held annual reunions since that time and embraced 
in its nieinliei'sliiii many of the leading citizens of the Mau- 
mee \'alley. \\ has kept alive and stimulated the interest 
in social and ])atriotic advancement. 

As the years rolled by, it was found that to accomplish 
more practical results, money was needed to purchase sites, 
etc. So in 1!)()"2 the Manuu'e A'alley Pioneei- and Historical 
Association was incori)orated under the laws of Ohio, and 
uudei- which stock subscri])tions could be received. It was 
under this plan made possible to buy the Kentucky burial 
.iii'onml. It was under this business like method that most 
of the I'eal |»i-ogress has been made and so nuicli has been 
accomplished. 

'I'liis corporation is still in splendid working order, not 
for .i;ain or jirolit ( for not an ol'licer receives a dollar for his 



15 

services), ])iit to aid in every way ])ossil»le to preserve and 
mark the liistorie spots in tlie Manniee N'.-illcy and to mark 
the Imrial places of tlie soldiers who laid (h)\\ ii their lives in 
rechiimiiii;' the hind I'l-oiii savai^ery and from the ride of 
kings in Europe. 

As snch, may not this Association claim, withcmt over- 
stei)ping the bounds of modesty, this tine monument over- 
looking- Fort Meigs and the graves of its dead, as one of 
its i)roud achievements? But there is much yet to do. Still, 
with the aid Ohio has already given, the Association ex- 
pects to be able to accomplish very much in the future. AVitli 
these unselfish and worthy motives the Association is cer- 
tainly entitled to public confidence and substantial su}»i)ort. 



SHORT ORDER. SKETCH. 



Fort Meigs, in tlie year 1813, lay in the track of war. 
The United States in June, 1812, had, for good cause, de- 
clared war against England. She planned to invade Can- 
ada. One division of her army was to strike from Detroit. 
That division, composed of Ohio militia and United States 
regulars less than 3,000 in all, was put under command of 
an old Revolutionary officer. Gen. William Hull. That 
army, starting from Dayton, made direct for Detroit. Short- 
ly after leaving Urbana, in what is now Champaign county, 
they had passed all white settlements. They were on 
grounds yet owned by the Indians — uninhabited by whites, 
until they struck the embryo settlement on the Mauniee— 
in the Twelve Mile Square Reserve, bought of the tribes 
17 years before at Wayne's Greenville treaty. That little 
army cleft its way through unbroken forests and swamps 
day by day, passing through what is now Findlay, where 
they built a stockade; still northward, passing through the 
present corporate limits of Bowling Green about where the 
track of the T. & 0. C. railroad lies to Ridge street, when 



16 

they veered a little to tlie west, striking tlie ridge on the 
west side of the Perrysburg- road nearly two miles north of 
liowliiig (ii-oen. That ridge, near what was then a fine 
meadow of wild grass pi'airie, was a favorite t»ami)ing place 
for the aniiN' (lining the war and afterwards for the early 
settlers. 

Kee])ing this course north by a few degrees west, Hnll 
struck the ]\ranmee at a ravine abont a quarter of a mile up- 
river from the south end of the present Waterville wagon 
bridge. Passing down the river below the high banks, he 
rested his ai-my two or three days at what was then known 
as the "Big Flats." 

"\Alien the march was resumed the army forded the 
river just beh)w Presquo Tsle hill to the north side and 
continued down the river through the little white settlement 
at Miami, that had been started there some five years pre- 
viously. 

The settlers were overjoyed and importuned Gen. Hull 
to h'live a detachment of soldiers there as a protection 
against the hidians, of whom there were several thousand 
in the vicinity, some of whom were already showing signs 
ol' hostility, under the malign influence of some of the head 
chiel's who lind been olVei-ed inducements to join the British 
ill case of war. The General apx)roved the recpiest for a 
(h'lail and an officer and s(|iiad of soldiers was left, with 
sui)i)lies and with ()r<UM-s to fortify themselves in a stockade. 

Details of 1 1 nil's route or line of march have been given 
for two i-easons — First: "Hull's trace," as it was long after 
called, was the ])i()neer road in Wood, Hancock and TTardin 
counties. .\s a rule, it lay on the dryest, most favorable 
Ufonnd. Second : Some of the pi'olile maps, or ]>lans of Fort 
Meiiis show two roads only, frinn and to the fort ; the lTp])ei" 
Sandusky and the Lower Sandusky roads. Ilnirs road did 
not conic lo the fort hnt as we lia\'e seen crossed the Mau- 
nicc nc;irl\ fonr miles from it. '^I^lieii comes the query, what 
and where was the I'pper Sandusky road, shown on Lieut. 



18 

I.nrwill's excellent profile of the fort as recently published 
ill llie Toledo Blade? 

Mr. Foster Pratt, for more than 80 years a resident 
loss than three miles distant from the fort, recently gave 
what seems the only plausible explanation, namely, that the 
Upper Sandnsky road, after leaving the fort on the high 
gronnd in a westerly and southerly course, intersected 
TTiilTs road just south of where the army struck the Mau- 
uiee, thence following Hull's route to Findlay, then by 
direct course to Upper Sandusky. 

This is the only explanation of a road to Upper San- 
dusky. That there was such a road is shown not onh^ by 
the engineer's profile of the fort and surroundings, but by 
the official reports of officers during the war. Hull's road, 
if road it might be called, was the most direct route to the 
southern part of the state, but because of the swampy na- 
ture of the country it was impassable' two-thirds of the 
year, except for horsemen. 

It will be noticed, too, by the profile of the fort that an- 
other road is shown leading from the west line down to tlio 
river bottoms. This road led up the rivor on the hnv 
ground to a good fording place at Buttonwood island, and 
on beyond and was practical, except in high water. Now a 
word about the Lower Sandusky road. As noted by the 
pi-ofilo, this road led from the south gate of the fort in a 
soulliorly course for a mile or so, when it veered to the east 
several degrees in almost a direct course to the forks of 
the Portage river, now Pomberville, holding thence the 
most direct practical route to Lower Sandusky, now Fre- 
mont. Tliis was a much more favorable, though longer, 
way than either Hull's or the Upper Sandusky roads. The 
other and better known route was Wayne's road fi"om 
(Jreenville, in Darke county, 1)> way of Defiance (now), 
tlicncc down Ihe i\rauinee. So much for the military roads 
(if llial pci'iod. Boads have always hcon to a great extent 
detei'mining factors in war. (ii'ouchy failed Napoleon be- 



I 



1^ 

cause of lieavv roads and Waterloo was lost. These notes 
on roads will aid in making more intelligent the campaign 
of 1813, in whicli the fate of Fort Meigs and the whole Ohio 
frontier was involved. 

Back aways we loft General Hull and his army at Mi- 
ami. Here lay a little vessel, the Cuyahoga. She was char- 
tered and the wives and baggage of the officers placed on 
board, including Hull's official rolls and army papers, for 
Detroit. The boat was captured by the English. It should 
be stated that war had not yet been declared when Hull 
started north with his army, though it was generally known 
that war was coming soon. The restless hostile actions of 
the Indians, indicated this only too plainly. Hull, in his on- 
ward march, was overtaken before he reached the Kiver 
Raisin, July 2d, by a messenger with the news that war had 
been declared June 17th. The English by a longer route 
had gotten the news one day sooner than Hull and that is 
how they came to capture Hull 's vessel and official papers. 

There is little more to be said of Hull that an American 
cares to hear. He took about ten days or two weeks to get 
to Detroit, when three days was ample if he had wanted to 
serve his country well. He could, with prompt action, have 
captured Maiden and that part of Canada, whipped all the 
English troops stationed there and cowed their allies, the 
Indians. He had a seasoned lot of men, some of whom 
fought with Harrison at Tippecanoe the year before. But 
now lie was an arrant old coward. The tooth of time, 
whisky and tobacco had unmanned him. He dress paraded 
and dawdled away valuable time until the enemy gathered 
up some militia and with a big showing of their breech clout 
allies, the Indians, made a bluff at the cowardly American 
conmiander and to the eternal disgrace of a country he had 
served faithfully in the days of the Revolution, he sur- 
rendered his army. 

He was later court-martialed and sentenced to be shot, 
but before the sentence was carried out he was, because of 



20 

liis previous good record, i)ardoiied, dismissed from tke 
army and died in merited obscurity. 

That practically ended the campaign of 1812, as the 
Northwest was affected. Fort Dearborn and Mackinaw fell 
into the enemies' hands. The Indians were raiding the 
frontier and the outlook was gloomy indeed. Especially 
was this so in the Detroit and IManmee countr}^ the princi- 
pal seat of the Indian power, then guided by their Chief 
Teeumseh, whom the English had made their ally. The 
little settlement of whites at the Rapids, a few hundred all 
told, had to flee for their lives, leaving cornfields and cabins ; 
some in boats by the river, others by Hull's trail and 
Wayne's route to the interior of Ohio, and the INfaumee and 
swampy stretches to the south of it l)ecame the border line. 



STOEY OF TWO WOMEN AT THE RAPIDS. 

HESTER PURDY GREEN. 

Rather pathetic is the story of Hester Purdy Green, 
whose father located at the Rapids, 1810. She says : 

''My father, Daniel Purdy, state of New York, with his 
family came to the Maumee in 1810. Several families came 
with us by the lakes and river. My father lived near the 
river. Fish were yery plenty. Large ones could be caught 
Avith hook and line. We would throw them ou the bank as 
we caught them, then selecting the finest for the table we 
would k'ave the rest for the pigs. Among the varieties Avere 
sturgeon, bass, muskalonge and pickerel. Indian neighbors 
were ])leuty. I have seen as many as fifty lodges camped 
liere on their way to Maiden, Canada, to get their presents. 

''Ciauie was abundant; live stock was easily raised on 
the |ti-airies and we led a \'y(H' and easy life uiilil Ihe uuit- 
terings of wai- began to fill us witli alarm. Then tlu^ ar- 
i-i\al of (leu. Mull and liis ai'iuy reassured us. IFe left a 
small comniaud who Iniilt a I'oi-t foi- our protection. Then 
we lived in securitv J'or a time until one dav a niesseni>er 



21 

caiHo and lold us Hull had sold liis army to tlie Englisli and 
that we would all have to leave. 

''Then all was fright and confusion. We, and most of 
the others, excepting the soldiers, gathered what we could 
handily and left. We stoi:>ped at Blalock's a short time, and 
an Indian messenger arrived telling us to come back, as they 
would not kill us, but only wanted some of our pro])erty; 
looking around until he found Blalock's gun, he took it, 
went out and got a horse my mother had ridden to this 
point, and departed. We went back and remained three 
days, in which time the Indians were pretty busy in driving 
otf our live stock (we lost sixteen head), and plundering the 
houses of such as had not come back. 

"But our stay was short, only three days, when the 
commandant of the stockade informed us that he would burn 
the fort and stores and leave, inviting us to take such of the 
provisions as we might need. Consternation again seized 
upon us, and we hastily reloaded our wagons and left. We 
stayed the first night at a house eight or ten miles south of 
the Rapids. In the Black Swamp, the load became too heavy 
and they rolled out a barrel of flour and a barrel of meat, 
which they had obtained at the fort. Mr. Hopkins, John 
Carter, Mr. Scrilmer and William Race went back the next 
fall to gather their crops, and they were all killed by the 
Indians. John Carter was attacked while in a boat on the 
river, and they had quite a hard fight before they got his 
scalp. After many years the government gave the Purdys 
$400 for the crops and stock left behind in their flight." 

MRS. PHILOTHE CLARK^ 

Among other reminiscences, says: "In the spring of 
1812 my father planted potatoes and corn on the island in 
the river. The army made use of it, and he got his pay for 
it from the government. There was a company of soldiers 
stationed near us, but they left immediately after we heard 
of Hull's surrender. A British officer, with a few soldiers 



22 

and a band of Indians, came to take possession of what i)ul)- 
lic stores there were at that place. The Indians plundered 
a few lioiises, took all the horses and mules they could tind, 
and left. The inhabintants had to leave — some of them in 
open boats. Our family, in company with twelve other 
raniilics, Icl'l b> land. We took the road to L'rbaua, cut 
through by (Jeueral I hill's army. After a toilsome journey 
of two weeks tlirough the mud of the Black Swamp, nearly 
devoured ])y mosquitoes, sometimes with no water except 
what stood in the cattle tracks, we arjived safely at Urbana, 
where we drew government rations until w^e separated for 
our several destinations." 



A NEW COMMANDER. 

And now as we close this year of misfortunes and dark 
records, we cannot but wonder if it would not have been 
different if an Andrew Jackson or an Anthony Wayne had 
led that army of Hull's? 

But soon a new commander came. Hope, and new life 
and activity came and the year 1813 was to be crowned 
with i>reat deeds. For the time the j\Iaumee Kapids was 
to be the stage on which all eyes centered; wiiere the bloody 
drama of war was to be played in all its merciless, hideous 
aspects. 

General Harrison, now in command, was huii ying sup- 
plies forward to this point and even had planned a winter 
cam])aign; but this was frustrated, however, by the rash, 
unauthorized action of one of his subordinates. General 
Winchester, resulting in a disaster at the River Raisin 
whlcli clian^cMl I lai'i'ison 's plans, but onlx' ci'ipplcd him tem- 
iMuarily, as we shall see: 



23 
STORY OF FORT MEIGS. 

FKOM AN EYE WITNESS. 

Brevet Jjieut. -Colonel Eleazer D. Wood, Captain of tlie 
Corps of Engineers, U. hi. Army, and in honor of whom 
Wood county was named, was with Gen. Harrison at Ft. 
Meigs as constriieting engineer, continued witli Harrison 
into Canada and was finally killed at Erie. lie has left a 
most interesting journal of the scenes and incidents in which 
he participated in the Northwestern campaign of 1812-13. 
'i'he student of history is much indebted to Brevet Major 
Ceneral George AV. Cullum, Colonel of the Corps of En- 
gineers U. S. Army, for rescuing from oblivion and giving 
to the world the journal of this brave officer, and from 
which the following synopsis can not fail to prove of much 
interest : 

Major General William H. Harrison, having been ap- 
pointed to the command of the Northwestern army, arrived 
at Upper Sandusky early in January, 1813, with two brig- 
ades of militia, together with a few regulars and volunteers 
— in all about 1,500 men. This force was denominated the 
right wing of the army. The object was to establish the 
security of the Northw^estern frontier, by expelling the in- 
vaders from our territory. This force of raw troops was 
to be licked into shape and discipline. It was also necessary 
to await the arrival of the field battering train of artillery, 
the latter consisting of five 18-pounders, together with pro- 
visions, forage and ordnance stores. 

A large portion of the troops were on daily duty, in 
building block houses and store-houses, the latter to deposit 
the supplies in, and the former for protection. About the 
12th, the artillery came into camp, and large quantities of 
every kind of supplies were constantly arriving. Thus 
Upper Sandusky was established as the principal depot of 
the army. That place is 70 miles from the Rapids on the 
Maumee. Between these two places is almost an entire 
marsh, a sunken, miry region known as the Black Swamp, 
covered with water that can scarcely be passed at any other 



24 

t'mu' tliau iu tlio snimner or middle of winter nrtcr its waters 
are sunieieiitly frozen to bear the travelei'. 

'I'lie Kapids of llie Maiiiiiee are a])()Ht IS miles from 
Lake Ki'ie, (io fi-om l^'ort \\'a\ne, .')() from the River ikaisiii 
and 7S mih's from Detioit. (Jen. Wineliester, in eommand 
of the kd't wiiii;- of the ai'my, was directed to take the route 
of Fort Wayne for strengtliening tliat point. Parties had 
l)eeu sent aliead from U])per Sandusky to open roads, bridge 
creeks, and picpai'e the way as much as possihh'. The 
aitillery had already ai'rived and been sent on towards tiie 
U'apids. 

Aliout the bltli of January intelligence was brought to 
cam}) that (ieneial Winchester had already arrived at the 
IJapids and pi'oposed advancing innnediately to the River 
Kaisin. (Jeiieral Harrison was astonished at the imjaidence 
and inconsistency of such a step, which could be viewed in 
no other light than one attended with the inevitable destruc- 
tion of the corps. Gen. Harrison dispatched two hrigades 
to the sui)])ort of Winchester, who arrived at the River 
Ilaisin on the bSth, fought a l)attle, in which he claimed a 
victoi-\ . hut on the morning of the 22d he was overwhelmed 
with tile IJiitisli ;ind Indians, and there followed that in- 
disci-iminate and hai'harous slaughter of brave men, whose 
lives were wretchedly sacj-iHced to the im})rndeuce of their 
rash <'(.)mmander. 

When (ieneral Harrison I'eached the Rapids, he had the 
|iain and niort ilication to meet the fugitives flying l'ron\ the 
hloodx t I'agedy of the Iviver Raisin. He at once fell hack 
n|>on the Portage Kiver (near l^emberville), a distance of 
If) miles, as well for the pni'pose of covering the artillery, 
then in the swnmp. as to meet the reinforcements, already 
f;ii- ;id\;ince(l finni 1 pper S;in(lnsi<y, on their way to the 
Uapids. lie remained at the Portage from the 24tli of 
.lami;M\ to the 1st of I*'el)iiia ly. when the artillery and I'e 
inforcciiientN liaxing arrixcd, the ai'my returned to the 

M;nmiee. 

There (lenei-;d Harrison, with his command, encam])ed 



25 

on a beantifnl ridge iioar llic foot of the Rai)i(ls, on tlic riolij 
hank of the river and a))ont 150 yai'ds distant from it. The 
eamp was situated about two miles ahove Fort Miami, and 
about three miles below the site on which General Wayne 
i>ave tlie Indians such a l)itt('r di'uhhiiii; in 17!)4. It was a 
wise choice made by General Harrison and ('ai)tains Gratiot 
and Wood of the engineers. Here hiy the army with its 
rear to the river, covered by a consideral)le ravine in front, 
which extended around and communicated witii another 
very deep and wide one, whicli passed the k-ft, and entirely 
secured it. 

Here General Harrison directed that a camp for 2,0(10 
men should be laid out and strongly fortified with block 
houses, batteries and palisades, in such manner as to stand 
the test of British artillery. This work was continued in a 
state of progression, the lines of the construction were at 
once designated, and a large portion of labor assigned 
among every corps or regiment in the army. Each brigade 
or regiment commenced that particular poi'tion of work as- 
signed it with patriotic vigor and spirit. A fine train of 
artillery, consisting of five 18-pounders, six 12-pounders, 
six six-pounders, and three howitzers, together with a small 
supply of annnunition, having arrived in cam}), the little 
army brightened in appearance and began to feel en- 
couraged. 

The camp was about 2,500 yards in circumference, 
which distance, with the exception of several small intervals, 
left for the block houses and batteries, was every foot pick- 
eted with timber, 15 feet long, from ten to twelve inches in 
diameter, and set three feet in the ground. To complete 
this picketing, to put up eight block houses, of double tim- 
ber, to elevate four large batteries, to build all the store- 
houses and magazines required for the su])i)lics of the army, 
together with the ordinary duties and fatigues of the cam]), 
was an undertaking of no small magnitude. Aside from 
all this, an immense deal of labor was performed in exca- 
vating ditches, making abatis, and clearing away the wood 



26 

about tlie caiiiii, and all tliis was done, too, when the weather 
was intense! \- severe, and the ground so hard frozen, that 
it required the most strenuous labor to open it with spade 
and i)ick-axe. It scenicd that the use of axe, mattock and 
spade ('(>nii)rised all the military knowledge of the army. 
Tliey continued to work and bury tlieiiiselves as rapidly as 
possible, and still heard nothing of the expected enemy. 
At this time the army enjoyed a fair degree of health, and 
was well |)ro\i(le(l with hi-ead and meat, as the woods were 
litei-ally ali\-e with beeves, hogs and pack lioi'ses loaded 
with ll(Mii'. 

On the -ttli of Mai-ch ('a]»tain Wood was sent to con- 
st i-uct some additional works at Lowei- Sandusky, where he 
spent some 15 days or more, and then returned to the 
Rapids. General Harrison, foreseeing the lamentable sit- 
uation in which the army would be placed on account of the 
near approach of the time when the terms of service of 
many of the militia would expire, went to Chillicothe on 
the Gth of March, to arrange for supplying the army and to 
take seasonable measures for getting a reinforcement of 
militia. 

Without going into details, suffice it to say that General 
llan-ison's instructions were disregarded during his ab- 
sence, and progress in the work of fortifying the works en- 
tirely ceased. The officer left in command proved utterly 
nn faithful to his trust, and was culpably negligent and dis- 
ol)edient. 

Toward the latter end of March it was learned through 
a trnstwoi'thy source that General Pi'octor had issued a 
proclamation directing his militia to assemble at JSandwich 
on the 7tli of April, for the purpose of aiding in an expedi- 
tion again^st Camp Meigs. It was further learned that the 
])rincii)al ])lan of attack was as follows: On arriving before 
tiie camp the Indians were to he immediately thrown in 
our real-, oi' lather tlie\' weic to invest the camp, and cut off 
at once all comnnmication, while the ti'oops were to be em- 
l)loyed on tin- opposite side of the rivei" in i)i-eparing the 



27 

batteries niul luountiug- tlic ,<2,iins lo cannonade iiiid lK)iiil>ar<l 
the camp — and tliat in a very lew lioiirs after the batteries 
were opened upon the Aniei'icans, tliey would be; eouipelled 
to seek safety by fiyin^ to the swamps, wlien th<' Indians , 
would accomplish the rcsl of llic ('ii^a^ciiiciil. 

It was now Iho 1st of Ai>i-il, when all wovo convinced 
that in a very few days a visit mii^iit he expected from liis 
Excellency General I'roctor, acc()ini)anie(l by tiie ,i;reat Te- 
cumseh and theii- i-etinue. About 150 of the pat liotic militia 
from L^enusylvania wei-e prexailed on to remain fifteen 
days longer. On the eigiith Lieut. -Colonel liall, with about 
200 dragoons, arrived at the ilapids, and in line time to af- 
ford the assistance, very much wanted, in the comjjletion of 
the works. Soon afterwards General Harrison arrived with 
a small corps of regulars and militia. 

About the 20tli the fifteen days' volunteers from Penn- 
sylvania were paid off, highly complimented in general or- 
ders, and permitted to return home. The whole number of 
troops in camp at this time, was about 1,200 or 1,.'>00, of 
which not more than 850 were reported fit for duty. They 
were better than half regulars and volunteers, and the rest 
Kentucky and Ohio militia, who had just been drafted into 
service, and of course were quite ignorant of their duty. 

Our block-houses, batteries, magazines and connecting 
lines of defense were now generally completed, and the ap- 
pearance of the camp in its every feature was such as to in- 
spire confidence in those who were to defend it against the 
assault of the invaders of our country. Fuel for the garri- 
son and timber to repair breaches and to make bombproofs, 
should it be found necessary, were brought into cam]) in 
great abundance. Also, two or three wells were instantly 
commenced — in fact -everything was done that possibly 
could be thought of to place the camp in the best situation 
to sustain a long siege. 

On the 25th the combined British and Indian forces con- 
sisting of 800 militia, 500 regulars and 1,500 Indians, all un- 



28 

der eoiiimand of Goiieral Proctor, ai'i-ivod at tlio montli and 
landed on the left sliore of the Maiimee, and instantly a 
party of Indians was thrown across the river to observe 
and watch the coiiduci of oni- ti'(»(>))s, should any of thera be 
sent out to reconnoitre, as was the constant i)ractice. The 
following (hiy Proctoi''s ai'niy was ]nit in motion, keopini>- 
its left to the river, and arriving with the gnnhoats and ])at- 
teries, in wliicli were the artillery and ordnance stores, and 
adxaiiccd nj) until it arrived on the 27th at the old Fort 
Miami. The hatteaux were at once unloaded and employed 
in conveying the balance of the Indians to our side of the 
ri\«'r. The following night the enemy In'oke ground in four 
ditferent i)laces and were very industriously em])loyed until 
morning, when their works showed good progress. When 
these nocturnal works were discovei'ed, our guns that could 
be brought to bear opened upon them and those works of the 
night were completely destroyed. 

Understanding now the enemy's plan of attack, and 
where each of his batteries were to be located, and the par- 
ticular object of each, and knowing that we should be great- 
ly annoyed by his artillery in our present state, it became 
necessary to intrench the army entirely ane"\v, and which 
was done within the original lines of the camp. Captain 
Wood connnenced the new intrenchments on the morning of 
the 28th, when the whole army was set to work and contin- 
ued in the trenches until "tatoo," when their labors were 
suspended, and work in the ti-enches was resumed at break 
of day with unflagging zeal. Never did men behave better, 
on any similar occasion, than did ours on this. 

I'lifoi'tunately we had not been able to clear the wood 
away to a sullicient distance on our left, of which circum- 
stance llic Indians very readily availed t licmsclves, and 
from the tops of the trees, poured into our cam))s prodigious 
showers of nniskcti-y. '^Phe distance, howc\'ei', was so great, 
that out of the nuni('i-ous (|uantity of balls poured in, com- 
|i;i r;ili\('l\ tew took ('lT('<'t. A number of our men wei'e 



29 

woiiiidcd, iiotwitlislaiidiiig, and rcudci-cd iiicapaWlc of duty 
for SOUR' tiuie. 

After the first da\'s lalior in the ireuclics, one lliii'd of 
tlie troo])S only were kept iu tlieui eoustautly, wlio wei'e re- 
lieved every three hours l)y fresh ones. In this way we con- 
tinued our ox^erations, while General Harrison was extreme- 
ly active, and was every wliei-e to l)e seen in the trenches, 
urging on tlie Avork, as well hy exanii)le as i)recei)t. He slept 
but little, and was unconunonly vigilant and watcliful 
through the night. 

The first thing conmienced to shield the troops against 
cannon, was a traverse, about "20 feet l)ase, laid parallel with 
the river, on the most elevated ground, which was near the 
middle and running the whole length of the camp. It was 
from 10 to 15 feet high, and was completed early on the 
morning of the first of May, just as it was discovered that 
the enemy had finished three of his principal batteries, had 
his guns in, and was then loading and bringing them to 
battery. Orders w^ere now given for all our tents in front 
to be instantly struck and carried to tlie rear of the traverse. 
It was done in almost a moment, and that prospect of beat- 
ing up our quarters, wiiich but an instant before presented 
itself to the view of the eager artillerists had now entirely 
fled, and in its place suddenly api^eared an innnense shield 
of earth, obscuring from the sight of the enemy every tent, 
every horse, of which there were 200, and every creature l)e- 
longing to the camp. 

At 11 o'clock a. m., the British batteries were o])ened, 
and a most tremendous cannonading and boml)ardnuMit was 
commenced and ke])! u]), the former until dark and the latter 
until 11 o'clock at night, when all was again silent. Our loss 
was one or two men killed, and five or six wounded — the lat- 
ter priuci]ially by the Indians. Our ammunition l)eing in- 
adequate to the necessity of a long siege, we fired vei-y little, 
contenting ourselves in safety and listening to the nmsic 
furnished bv the enemy. 



30 

( )ii the second at dawn, the cannonade commenced again 
willi ^rcat \i,<;oi-, and the batteries continued to play with 
nuicli l)riskness tliroiigli the day, and with about the same 
eifect as on tlie preceding day. A 24-pound shot struck tlie 
roof of one of onr magazines. All the batteries were in- 
stantl>' (lii'ected u])on it, tlie traverse not being of sufficient 
lieight tt) protect the roof, which was blown off by a shell. 
Xo damage of consequence was done. When firing ceased 
in the evening Ca])tain Bradford, with a party of men, went 
to work and before morning had the magazine thoroughly 
rei)aired, making it im]tregnabh' to any shell that might 
strike it. 

Tn ordei' that we might be ])repared to receive the 
enemy at all points, another traverse, parallel with the first, 
and distant abont P)0 yards, had been connnenced — was 
soon finished, and the two connected by several short ones. 
By this means ricochet firing lengthways of the cam]) would 
be attended with no injury while the men were in tjieir tents. 
I'his rendered onr intrenchments a complete citadel making 
it well nigh impregnable. 

At Pi o'clock a. m., on the tliiid, it was discovered that 
the enemy had crossed the i-ivei', and had three or four of 
his cannon on onr left stnck in the edge of a small ravine. 
In the conrse of the third da>' we had two oi" three dragoons 
kilh'th se\-ei"al slightly \\-onnded and a nnnil)er of horses 
killed. 

( )n the fonrtli, the enemy neither ojieiied his hattei'ies 
so eai'ly in the morning as he had l)een accnstomed to. nor 
did he lii'e them willi his nsnal \'igor and activity. Firing 
almost ceased toward evening. It apjiearei'i as thongli the 
enemy was con\-ince(| that the attack fi'om that side of the 
rix'ei' was simply an innnense waste of ]»o\\(ler and ball and 
wonid nitimately proN'e of no a\ail. 

Abont III o'clock' on llic ninlit of the fonrtli, Majoi" 
()li\('r, who hail Icfl camp on the L'Slh of April, l)i'onglit 
word that (jieneral C'la\' was aljout eiiiht miles above with 



31 

1,200 militia. General Harrison tlieii planned to Iiavc tlie 
Itattei'ies across tlie river stormed, the i;nns si)iked and the 
magazine destroyed. Colonel Dudley was j'ni-nished with 
spikes for the purpose. According to the ordei's received 
General Clay landed 800 of his men to storm the batteries, 
with Colonel Dudley in command. After the accomplish- 
ment of their work they were ordered to return at once to 
the Fort. AVith a great yell they stormed the batteries, the 
artillerists fled with great ]ire.cipitation. Colonel Dudley 
was then in complete i^ossession of the guns. Only a portion 
of them were spiked and the magazine was left untouched. 
The Kentuckians, elated with their victory, pursued the 
Indians into the woods, in defiance of the orders of Genei-al 
Harrison that they should destroy the battery and at once 
return to the Fort. While pursuing the Indians a column 
of P)ritish regulars marched up from Fort Miami, and at- 
tacked the rear of Colonel Dudley's badly demoralized 
force. Thus between two fires and surrounded by over- 
whelming numbers his fate and that of the l)rave men under 
him was inevitable. Of the 800 men thus entrapped only 
al)out TOO escaped — 80 or more reached Fort Meigs, the 1)al- 
ance escaped to Fort Wayne, some 60 or 70 were killed and 
the rest were taken prisoners. About 600 were marched 
under an escort of Indians to Fort Miami. 

The Indians were then permitted by General Proctor 
to assemble upon the surrounding rampart, and there at 
their leisure amuse themselves l)y firing at the prisoners 
uutil at length they preferred slaughtering their wretched 
victims in a manner more suitable to their savage hatred. 
They laid aside their rifles, went into the slaughtei- pen, 
seized those they pleased, and leading them to the gateway 
tomahawked and scalped them without meicy and without 
restraint. Nine bodies were found lying in one ])ile near the 
gate of the Fort after General Proctor left the Maumee. 
Many were found in other places tomahawked and scal])ed, 
and their bodies mangled in the most inluunan and barliar- 



32 

oils iiunmci'. (Ntloiicl Dudley was found on the field scalped, 
Ills Idcast cut (>i)('ii and his heart taken ont. Such was the 
result of a disolx'dience of orders. 

\\'hile this was i^oing on the l)alanee of General Clay's 
coiiiiiiaud met with considerable o])|)osition from the In- 
dians. I')iit with sharp firiiii;' the Iventuckians pushed on, 
aided l)\' L''K) th-agoons and a battalion of infantry sent from 
tlie b'ort. They completely repnised the Fndians before they 
reached the Fort, with the loss of 15 or 20 killed. The guns 
which ('olitiiel Dudley failed to spike were played upon our 
camp, and the reai- of our troi)])s during the skirmish with 
the Indians, with much vigor and considerable effect. 

Colonel ^liller of the 19th Regulars, with 850 men, 
stormed the batteries in the ravine at our left in the most 
gallant manner, soon bad complete possession, and the guns 
wei-e dismounted, the enemy being pursued some distance. 
Jn this assault our loss was 30 killed and three times that 
nunil)er wounded. Captain, (afterwards Colonel) Croghan 
was })articularly distinguivshed in this action, while the vol- 
unteers from Peteisburg (Va) were bighly commended for 
thvir cool and intrepid conduct while approacliing the bat- 
teries under a heavy fire of musketry. 

Huring tlie siege General Proctor had the audacity to 
summon General ilanison to surrender, and was veiy 
l)roperl\ told that if he ever got possession of Fort Meigs, 
it would he under such circumstances that would give liim 
greater claims u])on the gratitude of his country than he 
possibly could have by the Fort being surrendered — or 
words to that effect. 

Genei"al Di-octoi-, without troubling us further, on the 
moi'uing of the iiiiilh, raised the siege and left for Alalden. 
The prisoners he had taken were carried down to Huron 
•iiid there landed. 

II;i\iiiii man\- sick and wounded after the close of the 
siege of many days (live days haltei'ies o))en) and our force 
greatly impaired, such measures were taken as might tend 




Gen. Wm. H. Harrison. 



34 

to restore the army to liealtli and vigor. The block-houses 
about the lines were cleared of guns and scores and were 
converted into temporary hospitals. Tents were pitched 
with arbors about them and such arrangements made to al- 
leviate distress as the circumstances would admit. For 
some time, as might l)e expected, the camp exhibited a mel- 
ancholy si)ectacle. But the brave men bore up most patient- 
ly under their anxiety and gloom with the consciousness of 
having faithfully done their duty. 



SECOND SIEGE OF FORT MEIGS. 

On the 20th of July, at the solicitation of Tecumseh, 
(Jeneral Proctor returned with a larger force, while General 
Harrison was at Lower Sandusky. It was to be attempted, 
according to Tecumseh 's plan, to draw the garrison from 
the fort by a ruse, as it proved too strong and well equii)])ed 
to be taken by assault. 

The force of the enemy that had ascended the Maumee 
under the command of General Proctor and Tecumseh, was 
5,000 men, while the number of Indians was greater than 
ever before assembled on any occasion during the war, 
while the defenders of Fort Meigs amounted to only a few 
hundred under command of General Green Clay. 



CAPT. McCUNE'S NARPOW ESCAPE. 
General Harrison was at Lower Sandusky, now Fre- 
mont, and Captain McCune was sent to apprise Gen. Harri- 
son of the situation. He did so and was ordered by Gen. Har- 
rison to return and inform Gen. Clay to be particularly cau- 
tious against surprise, and every eifort would be made to re- 
lieve the fort. Captain ^FcCune arrived near the fort about 
(lay break on the moi'iiing of the 2r)th, accompanied by 
.hiiiics Doohm, a Fixmch Canadian. As they left the woods 
tli('\- wei-e intercepted by a party of Indians. Immediately 
tlicy retreated at full gallo]) on the high bank of the river 
for several miles, pursued by the Indians also mounted. 



35 

Coming to a deep ravine they put up from the river in a 
southerly direction, when tliey turned to the river bottom, 
but soon found thems(;lves confronted by an impassable 
swamp. Tile Indians seeing tlieir dilenmui galloped to tiie 
ravine to head them off. McCune and his companion turned 
ui)on their own track for the fort, gaining several hundred 
yards from their pursuers. The Indians followed with all 
speed. Just as they neared the fort McCune dashed into a 
thicket across his course, on the opposite side of whicli other 
Indians were huddled, awaiting their prey. When this party 
of Indians had thought them to be their prisoners, McCune 
suddenly wheeled his horse, followed by Doolan, escaped 
from the thicket by the passage he had entered, and galloped 
around into the open space between them and the river, 
where the pursuers were checked by the fire from the block- 
house at the western angle of the fort. After their arrival 
their horses dropped from fatigue. 

The arrival of McCune, who brought the intelligence 
that Harrison would not come with any troops unless the 
enemy lay regular siege to Fort Meigs, undoubtedly saved 
them from the ingeniously devised stratagem of Tecumseh, 
as that scheme was at once entered into by the enemy. 

FAILURE OF TECUMSEH 'S PLOT. 
In the afternoon of the same day the British infantry 
were secreted in the ravine below the fort, and the cavalry 
in the woods above, while the Indians were stationed in the 
forest, on the Sandusky road, not far from the fort. About 
an hour before dark they began a sham battle among them- 
selves, to deceive the Americans into the belief that a battle 
was going on between them and reinforcements for the fort, 
in the hope of enticing the garrison to the aid of their com- 
rades. It was managed with so much skill that the garrison 
instantly flew to arms, impressed by the Indian yells, inter- 
mingled with the roar of musketry, that a severe battle was 
being fought and tlie lives of the reinforcement were in 
dang-er. Some of the officers insisted on being suffered to 



36 ■ 

iii:n-('1i (Hit lo the rescue. General Claj^ satisfied tlie officers 
that IK) troojis were to be sent to Fort ]\leigs until there 
would be further necessity for it. But the men were highly 
iiidij^iiaiil ihat they wci'c prcx'cnlcd from going out to share 
ihc dangers, as they believed, of their commander-in-chief 
and thcii- brother soldier. A shower of rain ended this sham 
battle. The enemy i-emained around the fort but one day 
after this, when oil the L'Sth they embarked with their stores 
and proceeded down the hdvc, and on to Fort Stephenson 
where they met with such a terrible repulse. That fort was 
defended Ijy one gun and IGU }'oung men commanded by 
Major George Croghan, a boy less than 22 years of age. 
Pi-oetor's force comprised 3,300 British and Indians and six 
pieces of artillery. 

A TILKILLING ALTERNATIVE. 

The information was given out by a volunteer aid of 
General (May, who was in the fort during the second siege, 
that preparations were made by General Clay to fire the 
magazine in case the enemy succeeded in the attempt to 
storm the fort, and thus involve all, friends and foe alike, 
in one coniinon fate. This terrible alternative was deemed 
far prel'eralih' to that of suffering the l)arbarities of their 
i-eleiitless foes, and finally perish under the tomaluiwks and 
scalping knives of those fiendish savages. 

P>RrTISIl POWER HUMILIATED 

This conchides the fighting at Fort Meigs, and soon 
after Proctor received severe chastisement at Fort Stephen- 
son. This was followed by Commodore Perry's brilliant 
\ictor\ on the lOtli of Sei)teniber, IS],'}, which swept the 
Lakes ol' the enemy and eiial)le(l ( leiieral Harrison to pursue 
I'roctor's force into ("aiiada. gaining a complete victory at 
the hattle of the Thames, in which 'IVn-umseh Avas slain and 
the I'ritish forces routed. Thus was England's second at- 
tenipl to snhdiie the colonies and disrupt the young republic 
I'orex er I'liist rated. 

In ISIT) the govei'imient removed the ordnance and 
stores and abandoned I'ort Meiiis. 



37 
FORT MEIGS IN 1840. 



Probably one of the most popular and imposing demon- 
strations in the history of tlie United States took })lace al 
Fort Meigs in June, 1840. No moi'e enthusiastic and im- 
pressive pageant has ever occurred in the history of this 
country. There were asseml)led on tliese grounds at that 
time thousands of visitors from ainu)st every (puirter of tiie 
Union. The great gathering was variously estimated at 
from thirty-five to forty thousand. All classes and condi- 
tions, rich and poor, young and aged were involved in tlie 
enthusiasm of that day. General Harrison with his veter- 
ans, many of the country's leading statesmen, oratoi-s iin<l 
humorists were there to honor the hero who had so okilirtiliy 
defended this broad land from savage brutality and liritish 
oppression. 

General Harrison was the Whig nominee for the presi- 
dency and to do him honor, the merchant left his store, the 
farmer his fields, the mechanic his tools, to join in the shouts 
of applause and exultation, while cannon, musketry, church 
bells and martial music gave vent to the joyful occasion. All 
nature smiled her prettiest, the scenery of the Maumee had 
donned its loveliest garb, the rippling waters of the beauti- 
ful river, gleaming flags and streamers waving over Mau- 
mee and Perrysburg, as well as over the fort and the site of 
the British batteries^all conspired to give the celebration a 
vividness that would impress the visitor for all time. Some 
came on foot, some on horseback, some in wagons, in every 
kind of conveyance, and the surrounding hills and plains 
were dotted with tents of every description, in which they 
slept and ate, and did ample justice to the appetizing food 
that the good women of the household had prepared in 
abundance for the occasion. 

Aside from General Harrison many orators graced the 
occasion, among them Hon. E. Cook, Hon. Robert C. 
Schenck, John R. Osborn and others. General Harrison's 
address was more than usually im])ressive as he dwelt on 



38 j^ 

sonic ol" the incidents of 1813. lion. Thomas Ewing, Gen. 
\V(.t»(ll)ri(li;v, (icn. Ford. Hon. Oliver Johnson, Dr. Smith, 
(Icorii'c ('. Bates, ol" Micliii^an, and many otliei's lionored the 
occasion. Ml-. Saxton, an old rovolntionary soldier from 
Connecticut, was present. Amoni;' otlier names recorded 
aiiioiii;- the speakers were Colonel Todd and Clarkson of 
Keiitiick.x . who wei-e ollicers iiiKh'r (ieneral Harrison dnrin.i;- 
the sie^i'- l^'V. Joseph Badger, the Cliaplain in 181J, 85 
years of age in 1840, offered the opening prayer. 

Among the military commands i)resent were a battalion 
from l^nfialo, emhracing the Buffalo Flymg Artillery; the 
I'.utfalo City (liiards, La Fayette Guards, Washington 
(iuards; the Toledo Guards, under the conmiand of Capt. 
C. W. Hill ; the Cleveland Greys, under Capt. Ingraham; the 
Summit (Iuards from Aknm; Log Cabin boys in primitive 
unironn from Geauga County, and an Indian company. 

The steam))oats conveying a large portion of the great 
crowds assembled on this memorahle day were the Commo- 
de, re Perry, General Wayne, General Scott, United States, 
llochester. Star, Huron, Macomb, Jefferson, Sandusky, 
Commerce, Lady of the Lake, Vance and Chesapeake. 

The occasion pi-oved to be one to be long remembered 
hy these who were present, a number of whom are still living 
in this vicinitv. 



39 



SOME OF THE KILLED. 

Efforts to obtain a list of tlic losses of tlic different 
troops engaged liave not been successful except as below in- 
dicated : 

BURI1^]1) INSIDE THE FOKT. 

Lieutenant McCuUougli. Lieutenant Walker. 



KILLED IN CAPTAIN RICHARD McRAE'S COMPANY 

PETERSBURG VOLUNTEERS. 
Cori)oraI George T. Clougli. Private John Shore. 

Private David Williams. 
Private Nicholas Alasunbarg 



Private George Booker 



COLONEL DUDLEY'S COMMAND. 

Tjist of killed, as far as can be obtained: 



Colonel Wm. Dudley. 
Thomas Burrough. 
Jesse Polly. 
George Clark 
Nicholas Moran. 
Daniel Sloan. 
Ewel Wallace. 
Edward Dyhouse. 
Joseph Statin. 
Henry White. 
James Pebles. 
Benjamin Helberson. 
Robert Helberson. 
Sergeant Joseph George. 
Corporal Anthony Sanmul 



Joseph Clark. 
James Elliott. 
John Stevenson. 
Capt. Thomas Lewis. 
Private Whittield Bamm. 
Private Silas Fitzgerald. 
Capt. John C. Morrison. 
Private William Martin. 
Private Joshua Weathers. 
Private John Daugherty. 
Private John Johnson. 
Private Walter Gregory. 
Private Theodore Mass. 
Private James Simpson. 
Sergeant Scott. 



Lieutenant McClintock. 



40 



PIONEER PROGRAM 



AT thp: 



Dedication of Fort Meigs Monument 

September 1, 1908. 



I'miicfivs of Ahiuiiirc \';ill('y will iiifct at Fort Meigs Septt'iiiber 
1 fur a picnic. All the old i-csidcnts in the valley are invited. The 
fete will he held nndei" the auspices of the Maumee Valley Pion- 
eers' Associat ion. 

The picnic will he<iin at 1<> o"(do(d< a. m.. and in the afternoon 
the h'ni't Mei^-s nionuuient will he unveiled. An excellent pro- 
'^v.ww has heen ai'i'an<;ed to pi'eeede the basket feast at noon. 
Ainoii^' the speakei's will he (ien. Bennet li. Younjx. of Kentucky, 
an ex-C"onfederate ot'lieer. (Ien. Young answered an invitation to 
atldi-ess the pioneers here several years ago. hut rain cut his speech 
short at the most interesting point. 

Several nthei- speeches are on the [)rograni. and the invocation 
will he delivei-ed hv Hev. X. H. C. Love. of Perryshurg. D. K. 
Ijullcnheidv. of I'eri-yshurg. will call the gathering to order. 

The ont iiig takes the |)lace of the annual affair of the pioneers, 
usually held nn SejitendxT 10. the date having been changed to 
Septendier 1 in order that those in attendance may witness the 
luiveiling of the FoiM .Meigs luonument. 

Cio\-erni>r I Ian-is will pi-eside over the exercises of dedicating 
the Fort .Meiu^s nionuineiit. it is expected that the governors of 
Kent 111 ky. X'irtriiiia and Pennsylvania will participate in the exer- 
cises. .\d.)utant (ieneral Critchfield has given orders that the Sec- 
ond Ivegiiiieiil ciic;iiii|t 1)11 [''ort Meigs (ill t li is occasion. 

Fxecllciil facilities are pro\i(led for reaching the grounds 
from Toledo, eight miles distant, by trolley line every 'AO minutes. 



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